South Africans enjoy A's hospitality

Published 4:00 am, Friday, March 6, 2009

Photo: Eric Risberg, AP

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A throw to South Africa second baseman Gift Ngoepe goes past him during the first inning of an exhibition spring baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe, Ariz., Wednesday, March 4, 2009. Angels' Sean Rodriguez stole second on the play. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) less

A throw to South Africa second baseman Gift Ngoepe goes past him during the first inning of an exhibition spring baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe, Ariz., Wednesday, March 4, 2009. Angels' ... more

Told Giambi and Holliday were both at the A's split-squad game against the Giants, Angelucci said with a grin, "That's fine, I'll strike the other guys out."

Angelucci did strike out one, Aaron Cunningham, while walking four and allowing a hit in two innings in Oakland's 6-1 win.

South Africa second baseman Npho "Gift" Ngoepe, 19, is a Sotho tribesman who grew up on a baseball field; his mother worked at the clubhouse in Randburg. He's also a longtime A's fan, and he wanted to see Giambi, Eric Chavezand Bobby Crosby.

Starter Dallas Bradensaid he got a kick out of the fact that one of the South Africa players threw a ball back to him almost at his head and said, "Oh, sorry, sir!"

Crosby made two throwing errors and he hit into an inning-ending double play, but he said he wasn't distracted because of Orlando Cabrera's arrival earlier in the day. He said he sat back on two balls, then had to rush his throws and airmailed them, but his focus was fine.

"It's not in my head," he said of Cabrera taking over at shortstop. "When I'm playing, that's the last thing I'm thinking about."

Crosby drove in a run with a base hit in the third. Braden gave up one hit in three innings. Trevor Cahillwas the talk of the other game, a 4-2 Oakland victory over the Giants, after he struck out the side in the third.

Cabrera arrives for physical: Technically, Cabrera is not officially a member of the team, despite agreeing to a one-year, $4 million deal, but he should be announced as Oakland's new shortstop today.

Cabrera said it had taken 33 hours to drive to Phoenix from Myrtle Beach, S.C. Asked about going unsigned for so long, Cabrera said, "It was a strange market, I guess. But I'm happy to start playing baseball again."

New infielder Nomar Garciaparrais expected in camp today for a physical, with an official announcement likely Saturday.

Briefly: Justin Duchschererflew to L.A. to see Dr. Lewis Yocumabout his tender right elbow. ... Chavez said that Monday is the most likely day for him to play third. ... Daric Barton will be out four or five days with a quadriceps strain, he said. ... With Dennys Reyesno longer an option, the A's are considering free-agent left-hander Joe Beimel, according to a team source. They have not yet had substantive talks with Beimel's representative. ... Crosby might be on the Yankees' list of options (potentially a lengthy list) as they possibly look to fill in for Alex Rodriguezuntil May. ... Houston might have some interest in Crosby.

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